How to Prepare a Tree-Care Brief for a Shared Garden
A useful tree-care brief tells an arborist what your group wants to achieve, which trees it means, and what still needs a professional assessment. It also names one person who can coordinate questions, without implying that person can approve work on everyone’s behalf.
Start with a short record of agreed objectives and observations, then ask the arborist to propose a written scope. This gives the group something concrete to compare and discuss while leaving technical recommendations to the professional.
Why is a wish list not enough?
Imagine a shared garden group with a large tree beside a path and another near raised beds. Members say they want to make the garden safer, let in more light, protect the beds and tidy everything up. Those are understandable concerns, but they do not identify which tree needs attention, what members have actually noticed or what outcome would satisfy them.
A contractor could interpret “tidy everything up” as a much broader job than the group intended. Even if two proposals use the same phrase, they may cover different trees, cleanup arrangements or follow-up. The group needs to turn its discussion into a request that gives each arborist the same starting information.
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) says the U.S. ANSI A300 tree-care standards include guidance for writing work specifications. ISA also advises consumers to examine written specifications alongside credentials, price and the work proposed. Your group’s brief is the starting request; the arborist’s written proposal should describe the work they recommend.
Unfocused wish list | More useful brief
“Make the trees safe.” | Identify the tree and describe the concern; request an assessment and recommendation.
“Let in more light.” | Name the affected garden area and ask what options are appropriate for the tree.
“Tidy everything.” | Identify the trees in scope and ask the proposal to state what debris handling includes.
“Use the side gate.” | Describe the gate and path, note uncertain access, and ask the arborist to assess suitability.
What has the group actually agreed?
Write the purpose in terms of the outcome the group wants, rather than a prescribed operation. For the hypothetical garden, the agreed purpose might be: “Obtain an assessment of the two trees identified below and recommendations addressing concerns about the path and light over the beds.” This invites the arborist to evaluate the trees before recommending a course of action.
Next, list decisions the group has genuinely made. It may have agreed to seek an assessment, invite written proposals and keep the vegetable beds in place. It may not yet have agreed to any particular tree work. Record that distinction so a request for advice is not mistaken for approval to carry out a recommendation.
If members disagree, make the disagreement visible. For example: “Some members would like more light over the beds; others prioritize retaining shade. Please explain the options and their implications.” The trade-off is that a proposal may take longer to settle, but the arborist can address the actual choice instead of guessing which preference prevails.
How should you identify trees and observations?
Give each tree a simple identifier that appears throughout the brief, such as T1 and T2. Add a sketch showing the path, beds, entrances and nearby features, and label photographs with the same identifiers. A location description such as “T1: beside the north end of the shared path” helps distinguish it from a similar tree nearby. If the species is uncertain, say so and ask the arborist to identify it.
Separate what someone saw from what they think it means. “A branch was found on the path after a windy day” is an observation; “the tree is unsafe” is a conclusion requiring assessment. Include when and where the observation was made if known, and say when the group does not know whether the branch came from that tree.
Avoid presenting a photograph or group discussion as a risk assessment. Ask what the arborist can determine from a visit, whether a further assessment is appropriate, and how any limitations will be described. If members are concerned about an immediate danger, keep people away from the area and seek prompt professional advice rather than waiting for the routine brief to be completed.
Which access details and exclusions belong in the brief?
Describe the route from the street or parking area to each tree, including gates, paths, steps and features the group wants protected. Note when garden users need access and any known constraints, such as a narrow entrance or beds beside the route. If you can measure a gate accurately, include the measurement and its units; otherwise label its width as unconfirmed.
Tell the arborist about any access that depends on another person’s agreement, but do not promise it has been secured. Ask what access the proposed work would require and who should confirm availability. The arborist can then assess the route and explain whether an alternative affects the proposal.
State exclusions in plain language. The group might request assessment of T1 and T2 only, exclude work on other trees, and ask that no additional work be undertaken without a revised written proposal and the group’s agreed approval process. Also say whether debris removal is requested or whether the group wants it priced separately. An exclusion is most useful when everyone can identify what falls outside it.
For additional prompts on organizing a request, TreeWorkGuide scope-planning guides can help readers think through the planning questions around a tree-work project. Bring the answers back to the specific trees, routes and decisions in your own garden brief.
What does a short, usable brief look like?
The following fictional example is a request for advice, not a specification for tree work: “Purpose: Assess T1 beside the north path and T2 beside the raised beds. Advise on the reported concern at T1 and on options relating to light over the beds. We have agreed to seek recommendations; we have not agreed to a particular operation.”
“Observations: A branch was found on the path after windy weather; its source is unconfirmed. Some members report that the beds are shaded during part of the day. Tree locations are marked on the attached sketch, with photographs labeled T1 and T2.”
“Access and exclusions: The side gate and adjoining path are shown on the sketch; gate width and any equipment suitability need checking. Please identify access needed and measures you propose for the beds. Assess T1 and T2 only. Do not include work on other trees. Please state whether debris removal is included and provide it separately if it is an option.”
“Open questions: What do you recommend for each tree, and what alternatives should we consider? What limitations apply to your assessment? What would the proposed work and cleanup include? What further permissions or access confirmations should we investigate? Please provide a written proposal identifying each tree and the scope, assumptions and exclusions.”
Who answers questions, and what happens after proposals arrive?
Name a primary contact and a backup, with a practical way to reach each person. Record what they can answer: one may arrange a visit and explain the group’s observations, while another can confirm garden-use schedules. Separately identify the group’s process for deciding on a proposal. Being the contact does not, by itself, establish authority to authorize work or grant access.
Ask each arborist the same core questions and share material clarifications with all bidders. Compare proposals tree by tree: the assessment offered, recommended work, access assumptions, protection arrangements, debris handling, exclusions and any follow-up. A lower figure is difficult to compare if one proposal leaves cleanup or a tree assessment out.
Before accepting, resolve vague phrases in writing and ask who will carry out or supervise the work. Check relevant qualifications and insurance, and investigate any permissions or access agreements applicable to the property with the appropriate people or authorities. ISA’s consumer guidance recommends checking credentials and written specifications, reading the contract carefully and asking questions.
Finally, circulate the proposed scope to the people involved in the group’s decision. Record the agreed version and contact details, and ask for a revised written scope if circumstances or recommendations change. The finished document should let the group and arborist point to the same trees, the same intended work and the same unanswered questions.